Islamabad Court Extends Remand of Suspect in Murder Case of Social Media Influencer Sana Yousaf
ISLAMABAD — A local court on Friday extended the physical remand of Umar Hayat, the main suspect in the murder of 17-year-old social media influencer Sana Yousaf, for an additional three days.
Hayat was arrested on June 3, shortly after Sana was tragically shot at her home in Islamabad. Police allege that the suspect committed the crime after Sana repeatedly rejected his advances.
The suspect appeared before Judicial Magistrate Mohammad Hafeez following the completion of his initial four-day physical remand. His prior 14-day judicial remand at Adiala Jail included an identification parade, where the victim’s mother and aunt identified him.
Deputy District Public Prosecutors Adnan Ali and Raja Naveed Hussain, along with Investigation Officer Mazhar Bashir Khan, informed the court that the suspect’s vehicle had been recovered. However, efforts to seize his mobile phone continue, as he is reportedly withholding it.
The investigation team requested a seven-day extension for further inquiry and evidence recovery, but the court approved a three-day remand extension, ordering the suspect to be produced again on June 23.
Authorities recovered Sana’s mobile phone and the murder weapon from Hayat at the time of his arrest. Police said the accused took the phone after the incident to destroy evidence. Multiple raids across three cities were conducted to apprehend him.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage nationwide, with voices of concern coming from citizens, celebrities, and political figures alike.
